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Pay no attention to
the actor behind
the curtain

HEARD BUT NOT SEEN: Krater 96 air personality "Sista Sherry" Clifton will be heard but, alas, not seen in Kumu Kahua's production of "Half Dozen Long Stem." Clifton, who gave a Po'okela Award-worthy performance as "queen-sized princess" Sandralene Ferreira in Kumu Kahua's 1998 production of "Da Mayah," was asked to voice the role of an unseen radio disc jockey in the new show. It opens tonight ...

THE GIRL CAN ROCK: OK, so Hilary Duff snubbed the local media and chose to be much less accessible than Chuck Berry, Dion, Jimmy Buffett, Michelle Branch or Lea Salonga were during their concert stops here. This entertainment writer is over it. Either Duff has improved tremendously as a concert act in recent weeks or some of the reviews she's received elsewhere were the work of adult "haters" with a negative agenda. Whatever the explanation, Duff gave a better show at the Blaisdell Arena on Saturday in terms of length and content than 50 Cent or Ashanti did in their shows here, and she made it clear that "the girl" can rock. Maybe next time she'll be more confident about meeting the press as well ...

INTERESTING PEOPLE: David Wenham stopped the Hawaii International Film Festival Golden Maile Awards show last week so that the winners of the Blockbuster Video Audience Awards could come back on stage and speak to the audience. The winners of awards selected by public vote would have been the only recipients not allowed to make acceptance speeches if Wenham hadn't intervened ... Irwin P.K. Santos celebrated the Halloween weekend costumed as Superman at Gordon Biersch, Shooters and the Wailana Coffee Shop on Friday, and at Eaton Square, Fishbone and the Ocean Club on Sunday. Got stopped numerous times both nights by people who wanted to take photos of him with their kids. Some asked for autographs ...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: To Paul Ogata, who will be celebrating on Saturday ... and to Marti "The Marti" Kerton (Sunday) ...

CONGRATULATIONS: To Jasmine Perri, on receiving a one-year full scholarship for Steps On Broadway, a performing arts program in New York. Jasmine and big sister Jennifer Perri left Hawaii in August to pursue opportunities in the Big Apple ...

CAN YOU HELP A BRUTHA OUT?: DJ Shawn Ho would like to hear from anyone who took photos of him opening for Hilary Duff on Saturday. Reach him at shawnho@email.com ...

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